


Earth to Sicheng?

by ninaaavan



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: College, Drinking, I can't write romance, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, RA!Yuta, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:42:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26859919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninaaavan/pseuds/ninaaavan
Summary: Sicheng's college life is comfortable. He hangs out with his suitemates, loves their shared cat, does his homework, and lovingly bullies Renjun like he's his own younger sibling. That about sums up his experience-- oh, that and the fact that he has a crush on his R.A.
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	Earth to Sicheng?

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this for their birthdays like a year ago and just decided to call it done

SM University-- where the lawn is always green, people hold doors open for others, the friendly squirrels live, and textbooks are expensive. Sometimes Sicheng wishes he had stayed in China.

"Earth to Sicheng?" Jaehyun calls and annoyingly waves his hand in front of Sicheng's face.

Sicheng slaps his hand away, "what?" His hazelnut eyes zero in on Jaehyun’s familiar face, ignoring the rest of the dining hall with its orange-y colored walls and green and yellow furniture.

"You broke your ice cream cone."

Sicheng looks down and finds that it's true. The once in-tact waffle cone he was holding has been crushed and the ice cream is beginning to melt. It slides over his fingers, a sticky, cold mess.

He sighs and drops the cone, shaking out his hand. The remnants meet an empty off-white plate on the table. He snags a brown napkin from the dispenser that feels suspiciously like industrial paper towel and tips his plastic water cup so that the napkin gets wet. He's careful not to spill too much and not to let any of the ice cubes slip out. 

Jaehyun watches on curiously as his roommate tries to clean his hand. 

The noise in the cafeteria rages on as usual. That's the problem with going to a small school. The dining hall is always full of other people and they're loud. 

His roommate's eyes follow all of his actions, all stupid and brown and attentive. Why can't Jaehyun just let him fade into the background? Why does he give a fuck what goes on in Sicheng's brain?

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Sicheng."

He rolls his eyes and angrily smashes the soft tissue onto the plate with the ice cream, narrowly avoiding the silverware.

"Jaehyun."

"Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong."

"Clearly it is. You just snapped an ice cream cone in half while staring into the distance."

Sicheng sighs and looks around for something or someone to distract Jaehyun with. Where's Johnny when you need him?

Jaehyun and his Big were almost inseparable, but when Sicheng wanted the tall, talkative upperclassman around, he was harder to find than Waldo. 

Jaehyun sneaks a glance over his shoulder and--

"Seriously? Again?" He sighs as he turns back around, exasperation clear as day on his handsome features.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. A certain brunet soccer player from Japan who just so happens to be our R.A. is currently surrounded by pretty girls."

"So what?"

"Did you ask him if he was straight yet?"

Sicheng knows answering the question would be like taking the bait. 

"Fuck off."

"I'm just saying, Cheng. You should ask him. I heard from Taeyong that he's not straight."

"It doesn't matter anyways. I don't like him."

Jaehyun rolls his eyes hard at that and leans back into the navy vinyl of the booth.

"Keep rolling your eyes like that and they'll fall out of your head," Sicheng mutters, turning Jaehyun's own words against him. He works hard to keep his expression bored so that the older can't figure out that he's spot on. 

But Jaehyun knows. And Sicheng knows he knows. 

So here they are. Stuck in a box where neither of them acknowledge that other things-- like life in general-- are occurring while they sit in a stare down. 

"Whatever," Jaehyun folds. "Keep pining while Sana, Momo, and Mina make moves on your man."

"Didn't you just say he isn't into girls?" Sicheng points out. 

"Okay, then wait til the Yutos flank him."

Damn. He has a point there. Yuta is super popular on campus, especially with the other Japanese exchange students. 

“I told you, I’m not into him.”

“Whatever you say.”

“Oh, there’s the rest of your rat pack.” Sicheng nods his head to the other pledges of Jaehyun’s pledge class. He’s always been kind of jealous of their bond, but fraternity life didn’t interest him. 

Jaehyun turns his head to the group of guys decked out in their Kappa Rho gear and sport uniforms. He recognizes the other Chinese kid that Jaehyun hangs out with and the tall guy from the dance team. 

“Hey guys!”

"Ima head out."

"Stay and socialize. The guys like you."

The time he has to make a decision runs out as Minghao slides into the booth next to him.

" _ Hey _ ," he greets in Mandarin. 

" _ Hey, how's it going?" _

"Yo, I learned some Mandarin from Jun at semi."

"What'd he teach you?" Minghao asks skeptically.

" _ Fuck my ass, _ " Mingyu recites. 

"And what did he tell you that means?" Sicheng asks with a blank expression. 

"It's like there's two of them," Yugyeom stage whispers to Jungkook as he looks between Sicheng and Minghao.

"He said it means 'want to dance?' I asked him how to say it so I could ask Tzuyu."

They ignore Jungkook when he points out that she might be kind of young for Mingyu. Sicheng doesn’t know her personally, but he has to agree. Then again, she is an adult and it’s not like the age difference is that big. They’re adults and Mingyu isn’t some creep or something anyways. 

"Is that when she laughed in your face? I heard her shit talking you later."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"You idiot, she laughed at you because you asked her to fuck your ass."

Sicheng snickers as Minghao rolls his eyes.

"What? Ah, shit."

Jaehyun laughs at them.

Bambam settles on the other side of the half wall. 

"Anyone want to get food?"

"Oh, yeah." Yugyeom stands and Jungkook goes with him. 

Mingyu makes puppy eyes at Bambam, "grab me a burger please?"

"Yeah, yeah. Hao, want anything?"

He gestures to the apple in front of him, "I'm good for now. Thanks."

"'Kay. Nice shirt, Sicheng," Bambam compliments before walking away. He doesn't get the chance to say thanks, but Bambam probably doesn't mind.

. . .

"Why do you always look so bored with life, gē?"

Sicheng glances at Renjun and shrugs, " 'm not."

A sigh sounds, “why won’t you tell me anything?”

“There’s nothing to tell. I’m just tired. Now, tell me about that girl in your art class."

"Yeji? I just found out she has a twin brother. It's the weirdest thing."

"Why?"

"Because for a minute I really felt attracted to him."

"You're attracted to both?" Sicheng snickers. 

Renjun's cheeks flush, "no. But he's, like, really pretty. Maybe prettier than she is."

"Maybe you're bi. It happens."

"I don't know. Maybe? I'm not usually attracted to men."

"You don't have to be, Renjun. I didn't mean to cause you a crisis." 

"It's fine, gē. I've been thinking a lot about it."

Renjun ducks, "oh shit. There he is."

Sicheng casually glances. The kid is good-looking. His twin sister is probably stunning.

"So have you spoken to him at all? You might like Yeji's personality better and now you're panicking for nothing."

"That's the thing. They're both really kind. They both like to dance and are really good at it. I just don't know which I like better yet or if I even like him at all."

Sicheng hums as he thinks about it. 

"Well, don't worry about it. It'll work out, I know."

"I know. So, dance practice tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I have a meeting til 8:00, though."

"Okay, I'll come later then."

"Hey Renjun," a tall young man calls with a smile as he walks past the table. Renjun smiles back.

"Hey Hyunjin."

"That was him?" Sicheng asks as the boy walks to a table full of his friends. 

"Yeah."

. . .

It’s lunch time for most math majors and, coincidentally, Jaehyun. Sicheng settles himself at a table near the front of the dining hall and waits to be joined by three other young men as per the plan.

Koo Junhoe and Kim Donghyuk are some of Sicheng's only friends from his major-- Jaehyun excluded, but he barely counts anyways. 

They're all suite mates, though. That’s what matters. He sees them all of the time in their shared rooms. 

"Yuta came by for safety inspections with Bobby. They almost confiscated our liquor." Sicheng didn't want to like the way Donghyuk smiles when he talks, but it's endearing. He was forced to admit it when it was time to pick roommates for the next year and ended up confessing that he found the older man a suitable friend.

"I stuffed it all in my backpack when I heard them and dipped from your guys' room," Junhoe tells. 

"Critical, dude. Thanks."

Sicheng nods, "we owe you." 

"No worries."

"Isn't that the girl from your department that has the therapy dog normally?" Donghyuk asks Jaehyun as Seunghee walks by without her dog.

"Yeah, that is her."

“I spoke to her at a talk once, she seemed cool.”

"Do y'all think I could get a therapy cat?"

"Do you need one?" Sicheng eyes Junhoe. 

"Yes, for my crippling social anxiety. If I don't have one, I'll k-word myself."

"Sounds like you've rehearsed the plan enough," Donghyuk laughs at Junhoe's theatrics.

"Yeah, if you go in there with that spiel, they can't turn you down," Jaehyun chuckles, smile lines wrinkling his eyes.

"So you guys would be cool with it?" 

Sicheng and Jaehyun glance at one another before shrugging, "yeah. Why not?"

"No one is allergic?" Donghyuk asks. 

Sicheng shakes his head no as Jaehyun vocalizes his answer.

"Yes! I asked Yuta how to go about it and he said I wouldn't have to move dorms since he's not allergic which means we're getting a dorm kitty!"

The thought warms Sicheng's heart. He wonders what kind of cat they'll adopt. It'll be nice to have a little animal to snuggle with after a long day. 

Besides, he knows he'll have access to the cat since they have an open suite policy in place between the four of them. They'd spent many nights studying with one another and watching movies in their shared rooms.

. . .

“Sicheng, hi,” Yuta calls with his typical wide smile. He’s on the sidewalk in front of their building, probably heading to class or something. The backpack he has on makes him think it’s class. 

Sicheng nods his head in greeting and steps closer when he notices that Yuta is waving him over.

“Would you tell Junhoe to come see me with his paperwork? Also, make sure all four of you sign it, please.”

“Sure.”

“Are you excited for Junhoe to get a cat?”

“Hopefully it’ll help his anxiety,” Sicheng answers, not sure if it’s a trick question or not. “But yes, I am.”

“Good, good. Well, I’ll see you around.”

And then Yuta is gone again, hustling in the opposite direction Sicheng had just come from, and the younger is left trudging his way into the dorm.

. . .

"Um, Hyunjin asked me out," Renjun whispers, cheeks scarlet red.

"What'd you say?"

"I couldn't lie to him, so I told him that I wanted to but was questioning my sexuality still."

Sicheng nods, "honesty is good. What did he say?"

"He told me he didn't mind as long as I continue to be up front with him about my feelings and comfort levels? Which I thought was really reassuring."

"He sounds supportive, so even if it turns out you're straight, he'll still be your friend."

"Yeah.” He pauses and fights a small smile, “I'm actually really excited."

Sicheng doesn’t push him with teasing, instead he opts to ask him about it. "When is it?"

"Friday night."

"Nice. Did he tell you what you're doing?"

"He said he just wanted to get dinner here and then hang out at the dorms. He offered to do something else, but I like the idea of easing into things."

Renjun looks happy. His eyes are bright despite the fact that he chews his bottom lip out of habit. 

"That thing you're doing with your lips right now? Do that on your date. It makes your lips swell and will catch his eye."

"But I don't want to look nervous the whole time."

"Then practice in the mirror some. Just do something like this," Sicheng advises. He puts his lower lip between his teeth and tugs once but doesn't worry it like Renjun does. 

Renjun tries it out. 

"Not bad, but do it in the mirror."

"Donghyuck is gonna roast me."

"Do it when he's not there."

"Fine." He chews his lip some more before stopping. "Why weren't you this helpful before?"

Sicheng shrugs. “It comes in waves.”

. . .

“Hey look, Sicheng,” Jaehyun calls as he blinks lazily in the direction of the courtyard. 

He catches a glimpse of Yuta in the distance and turns his head to ignore him. He manages to contain his eye roll.

"I'm gonna tell him."

"Do it and I'll burn everything you've ever loved."

"Extreme,” Jaehyun comments in a tone so dry it could start a forest fire with some of the sparks from Sicheng’s tone.

"I'm not kidding, Jeong. I will light all your shit on fire."

"You don't scare me, Dong."

Sicheng glares at him until Jaehyun holds his arms up in surrender. 

"Fine."

“Knuck if you buck.”

“Quit posturing. You’re, like, the least threatening person that regularly participates in physical activity that I know.”

Yuta must notice them as they draw closer to their building and he waves with a brilliant smile, causing Yunhyeong to turn and look too. 

They wave back casually and enter their building. 

“Not a word,” Sicheng warns his roommate. 

. . . 

It’s a Sunday evening and Sicheng is cooped up under his lofted bed with his textbook, laptop, and notebook. He has a big test coming up tomorrow for his night class in economics. While he excels at math in general, the same can’t be said for economics, despite how much of the course is math based. The truth of it is that there’s not a lot of math delineated in his 102 course. It’s a lot more theory and memorization and it’s hard for him to remember because he zones out during class. It’s not his fault, though. Night classes are hard, especially when they’re only once a week for three hours at a time. 

The door opens and a loud sigh sounds from behind him as Jaehyun throws his backpack to the floor and crashes into his bed. 

“How was chapter?” Sicheng asks without looking up from his book. He’s working on a practice test of the unit and trying to make sure he understands the words in both Mandarin and Korean. 

“Pretty standard. How’s studying?” It figures that things were standard for the fraternity. Plan a few events, sing some frat party songs, make sure everyone is in good standing. Whatever. It didn’t really interest him even when Jaehyun talked about it in depth. 

“The same.”

They don’t really talk more beyond that, both needing to get things done in preparation for the week ahead. 

. . .

Nothing is worse than struggling to do homework when there’s something on his mind. On his mind is the sexual tension between Yuta and him. Or him and his hand at this point. Who the hell cares about answering the questions on page 284 of the textbook when he hasn’t been laid in months?

"There's a party this weekend at the house. You're coming with me."

"Okay."

Jaehyun was expecting Sicheng to put up more of a fight, but he can't really complain. 

"Good."

Sicheng just goes back to reading and thinking about how he wants to hook up with someone this weekend if only to get his mind off of Yuta. 

He can't stand how charming his R.A.'s stupid smile is. Why does he have to be so fucking friendly? It wouldn’t be so bad if his attention wasn’t called to him every time he left the dorm. He really just wants to shut the other up. Jaehyun, that is. With his non-stop pestering. 

But really, he’d love to shut Yuta up, too. Maybe then all those people that swarmed him every time he was outside of his room would disappear. 

And shutting Yuta up would be easy. He could just do it with his mouth. Jaehyun would require a fist, possibly a choke slam. 

  
  
  
  


Yuta spots him from across the party and Sicheng knows there's no point in trying to hide from him. He turns his attention back to Junhui. 

Before long, Yuta is trading places with the other, cheeks flushed slightly.

"Want to grab some air with me? It's hot in here."

Sicheng nods, noticing how sticky his skin feels.

They weave through drunk people and make their way to the back porch of the house. The cool air feels nice and there’s enough of it to breathe. 

"So, you gonna report me?" Sicheng asks, eyes hazy as he takes in Yuta. The older laughs.

"No. You're too cute to write up."

Yuta winks as he sips from his beer. 

"I'm not good at flirting--"

"I know."

"But I like you."

"You do?" Yuta asks, shocked at Winwin's confession. "I was never able to tell."

"Mhm. Yeah. You're pretty hot."

The smile he gets in return is the same breath-taking one as always. Flutter-- that’s what his heart just did. 

“I like you too.”

From their interactions, Yuta must like the side of Sicheng that he’s seen. Even drunk or tipsy, Sicheng’s not going to point out that they barely know one another on a deeper level. 

Instead he just starts asking questions that he would consider banal if anyone else were asking and answering. Yuta makes everything so fun and they connect easily over all kinds of things. They’re both exchange students here for the duration of their studies. They’re both seriously considering not returning to their home countries after graduating. Yuta likes cats and dogs just like Sicheng does. They like a lot of the same foods and listened to some of the same music growing up. 

“So... Why don’t we continue our conversation somewhere else?”

Sicheng doesn’t think he’s ever nodded more eagerly or taken someone’s hand so fast.

. . .

**Sicheng**

Don’t come home til later

**Jaehyun**

Why don’t u jus fuck in his room

He has a single

Sicheng doesn’t know it yet, but he really wishes that he’d read Jaehyun’s text earlier, because now he has Yuta’s beautiful hands down his pants and Junhoe’s cat is scraping its litter box in the suite bathroom. The volume is so loud it’s like if Sicheng’s head is right next to the box getting hit by stray pieces of clay. 

It’s super distracting and it hasn’t stopped for what seems like two whole minutes. 

He huffs, “stop. Sorry, the fucking cat.”

Yuta looks distraught upon being asked to stop, but seems to accept Sicheng’s excuse. 

“Want to go to my room?”

Sicheng nods and then they’re both getting up and straightening their clothes. 

Sicheng smoothes down his hair and locks his door before following Yuta. Luckily they don’t encounter anyone in the hallway. Jaehyun receives the all clear text message letting him know he can safely enter the dorm.

Yuta’s room is clean and kind of looks like one of those magazine dorms the way everything is color coordinated and organized. Sicheng doesn’t hesitate to pounce on Yuta on his bed and throw both of them back into action. There’s no way he’s going to let the cat cock block him. 

. . . 

Saturday morning breakfast is a sacred event. Sicheng and Jaehyun started it back when they were freshman and they experienced their first real hangovers. Hating wasting days was something they had in common and breakfast forced them to be contributory members of society or something like hat. 

Sometimes they complained about their headaches, but most of the time they just recounted what happened the night before and watched videos and stories posted by their acquaintances. 

“There’s a party next weekend,” Jaehyun tells Sicheng. There’s always a party next weekend. What makes it significant enough to get mentioned during breakfast?

“Of course there is.”

“Can you get Renjun to come?” He asks over a mouthful of brunch.

“Renjun? Renjun is a child. I wouldn’t drag him to one of your parties.” Sicheng scoffs. 

Jaehyun hums, ignoring the bite in his words, “but Hyunjin will be there and he asked me about him.”

“You? Why would he ask you?”

“I guess he put two and two together since we’re friends and you two are friends.”

“So you’re friends with him by association, yeah, okay. That’s fair.”

“Yeah.”

“But how did he know who you were?”

“He’s friends with Chris? The guy who wants to join the fraternity? Bambam’s friend?” Jaehyun continues to list as Sicheng’s face stays a blank mask of disrecognition. 

“That rings zero bells.” 

Sicheng doesn’t recognize a lot of people.

“The Australian kid? Does the shaka sign all the time?” Jaehyun holds his hand up and does it once, hoping that the visual will trigger something in his roommate’s memories.

“Oh, right. Him.” Sicheng nods. He recognizes that kid from the campus student center. He’s a guy that knows everyone, super friendly and involved on campus. And even though Sicheng hasn’t been on campus long, he feels like Chris has been there longer-- even if they are the same age and year. Well, that is if Chris even is in classes here (seriously, the guy has been on campus longer than he thought possible). Sometimes he gives off the same vibes as Johnny, but for the entire campus and not just the fraternities. 

“So, will you please ask Renjun?” Jaehyun presses. Sicheng focuses on the conversation once more.

Sicheng sighs. If it’ll make his friend happy, then yes.

“I think they’d be cute together,” Jaehyun adds as if Sicheng isn’t already sold. 

“Fine. I’ll ask him. But don’t think I won’t be there to monitor.”

Jaehyun grins, “lies. You just want to see Yuta again. Bring him back to the room for a little action.” 

Sicheng wants to ring his neck, but Jaehyun’s hair looks too good to mess up and that would require a lot of physical exertion. 

“Jaehyun, shut up.”

“Yepp, shutting up.”

. . .

As usual, Sicheng is sitting in his desk chair, wanting to finish his homework, and Jaehyun is laying on his bed, discussing whatever fraternity-born issues are facing him. 

"So Johnny called me easy! What the fuck is his problem?"

Sicheng rolls his eyes, "why don't you just fuck him? It's obvious he's jealous."

Jaehyun’s eyes pop wide open and he sputters, mouth opening comically and everything.

"What? We're just bros. There's no way he's jealous."

"Jaehyun, seriously? Think about it. He gets upset when you flirt with girls and then you fight every time you tell him you hooked up with someone. That's jealousy. And he calls you cute or hot all the time."

"He does that to everyone!"

"No, he doesn't. I was gonna let you flounder for a bit longer, but I'm tired of you sulking."

"Holy shit." Jaehyun slumps back against the wall and runs a hand through his hair.

Sicheng lets him soak in the words and everything they mean. It takes him a moment before he turns back to Sicheng. 

"But I'm not gay. He knows that."

"I mean, it's not like he wants to be crushing on a straight guy. He probably doesn't even realize he's doing it and if he does, then he'll apologize in no time."

"I fuckin' hope so. We're supposed to be partners in Beerlympics next weekend."

Sicheng blinks. He sighs lightly and shakes his head as he turns his attention back to the book in his lap.

"God you drink a lot."

"It's not like it's a problem though."

"I know, not until you graduate. Imagine how many calories you drink every weekend. It's a good thing you work out with Johnny."

Jaehyun groans at the mention. "Don't start your dancer-body calorie-counting bullshit again. I work out and eat decently."

"I wasn't going to." Sicheng holds his hands up in mock defeat. 

Conversation halts as the kinds of noises that Jackie Chan makes erupt from the room over. 

“So, what about what happened with Renjun? Do you know?”

Sicheng gives a shrug to his roommate, “not sure. He hasn’t said anything to me yet.”

“It’s best not to press him,” Jaehyun agrees. The pillowcase rustles as he nods his head slightly. “How are things with Yuta?”

Sicheng shrugs in answer. Things are going. They’re fine. 

"I don't see why you don't just date him. You get jealous when other people flirt with him."

"I don't like labels." Sicheng wrinkles his nose. 

"Yeah, but Yuta might. Have you asked him?" So much for reading his book, Sicheng thinks. Jaehyun’s still looking at him with his big eyes.

"No."

"You should. I mean, based on my relationship experiences, you need to talk about things like that."

"All your relationships have been with women."

Jaehyun sighs, "that doesn't change the fact that you need to communicate with your partner."

"Fine. I'll ask him."

Sicheng agrees, but he knows he won’t do it for a while. Confronting someone about emotional issues is not his strong suit so he’ll take time to build up confidence. 

. . .

Renjun’s come over to pre-game some on-campus event that his friends are making him go to. Apparently he wouldn’t be able to suffer through it sober, but his friends weren’t supposed to know he was drinking for it (plausible deniability), so here he was. As always, Jaehyun is game to drink, and Sicheng finds reading easier when he’s buzzed anyways. They sit and get caught up on one another’s social standings.

“So now he’s been trying to prove that he’s, like, a ladies man or something.”

“Weird.”

“Yeah.” Jaehyun drains his beer and pitches it into the recycling can in the corner of their room. The cat gets spooked by the noise and runs away from it’s spot on the ground by Renjun. “What’s up with you and Hyunjin?”

Renjun shrugs, “we decided just to be friends since I don’t know what I want. It’s not fair to him.”

“Did he take it okay?” 

Sicheng’s ears perk up at that. He actually had been meaning to ask Renjun how things with Hyunjin went. 

“I mean, yeah? He was a little hurt and then the whole thing about his sister came up...”

“He was hurt?” Sicheng immediately jumps to defend his son. “You were up front with him the whole time.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that he basically got rejected,” Jaehyun points out, even though he knows Sicheng just wants what’s best for the kid. “And what’s this thing about his sister?”

“They’re twins,” Sicheng answers like it should spell everything out. 

When Jaehyun just blinks in confusion, Renjun sighs. “I had a thing for her first. And then I met him and ended up questioning my sexuality and now here we are.”

“Oh, weird.”

Renjun seems to accept the comment and Sicheng has to agree so he doesn’t jump in.

“Finish it,” Jaehyun orders Renjun, tapping the bottom of his can. Renjun heaves a sigh much too heavy for a freshman in college and downs the rest of his beer. 

“I am not looking forward to everything blowing up later tonight between Ryujin and Jaemin. They’re so obvious but they won’t just fucking talk about their issues.”

“Sounds like Yuta and Sicheng’s problem.”

“We don’t have a problem.”

“Ge, you literally have the easiest relationship problems to solve.”

Relationship problems? Sicheng doesn’t have relationship problems. He’s not in a relationship. It’s not a problem.

“What?”

“Think about it,” Renjun starts. 

Jaehyun cuts him off before he can finish his thought, “oh my God, he’s gonna do it.”

Finally, someone to call Sicheng on his bullshit. The little guy may or may not get dangled from the window, but Jaehyun will be there to protect him. Besides, Sicheng wouldn’t hurt the kid too severely. 

Renjun continues and Sicheng sits in silence, awaiting explanation, “you and Yuta make out on the regular. Just ask him out. There’s no crisis for you or for Yuta.”

The pointed look on his face makes Sicheng realize he’s probably right. 

He reaches for the whiskey handle they’re sharing and downs some. 

“He knows we’re right,” Jaehyun translates. “He has the emotional capacity of the cat, though.”

Sicheng wishes the cat was around to claw Jaehyun’s leg.

He rolls his eyes at the two of them and ignores them in favor of reading. It’s time he focuses on something that’s important and more pressing. Not some made-up problem that, admittedly, was actually a problem.

Renjun flicks him, but gives up when there’s no response. Jaehyun shrugs and turns his movie back on. It’s probably time for him to head back to the freshman dorm and watch the trainwreck happen. 

. . .

He’s doing it. 

Yuta is in front of him and Sicheng is talking about feelings. (Of all things, why feelings?)

"I don't like labels. They mean a real commitment at a level I'm not ready for." 

Yuta’s gaze is heavy on Sicheng. The man’s eyes look like marbles-- made of hardened glass. He unclenches his jaw and gives a small sigh, which’s really more of a breath than anything else, before beginning to speak. "Well I'm sorry, Sicheng, but I want commitment. It's important to me that you're not seeing other people."

"I'm not going to." Sicheng looks offended. 

"You just said you didn't want to be committed to me."

"No, I said I don't like the word boyfriend because it implies something serious. Not that I wanted to explore other options. I want to be exclusive."

"So then why do I feel like we're having a disagreement?"

"I dunno." Yuta blinks and backs up from Sicheng, checking his posture and reminding himself to relax his body since they’re not actually having a disagreement. At his point, it’s a discussion and he doesn’t need defensive posturing to make things more tense. Sicheng mirrors his actions unconsciously. 

"As long as you're not going to see other people, I don't care about the 'boyfriend' label. So we have a deal?" Yuta’s serious face is sexy, especially with the way his hair falls in his eyes.

"Yeah."

"Good. Don't send nudes to anyone else. Only me." And then Yuta is smiling that bright, nuclear, megawatt smile. Sicheng likes it a lot.

"I don't send nudes."

"Not even if I ask nicely?" Yuta pouts, the corners of his mouth drooping.

“No.”

Sicheng manages not to roll his eyes at himself for thinking Yuta might be cute enough to indulge.

. . .

God.

Sicheng can’t believe he’s doing this. 

He blows out a huff of air. The phone feels awkward in his hands, like the weight of it has somehow changed. 

The locker room lights are bright and it’s kind of humid from the shower room, but the timing is right. 

“Jaehyun!” He calls, knowing his friend is on the other side of the lockers with the baseball team’s lockers. 

“What?”

“C’mere.”

Jaehyun heaves a sigh and treks around the corner. 

“What?”

Sicheng speaks in the lowest voice he can muster, “how do you take those pictures?”

“What?” Jaehyun parrots, moving closer to Sicheng. 

“God. How do you take those pictures?”

Jaehyun’s face doesn’t change, “what pictures?”

Having a dumb jock fraternity boy as a roommate has never been inconvenient before this exact moment. It’s (not at all) surprising that Jaehyun passes his classes with flying colors (because he is admittedly intelligent, just not at times like this). 

“Those thirst trap gym pics,” Sicheng gestures to the phone and strikes an awkward one-armed pose. 

It must click for Jaehyun because he laughs and tugs Sicheng over to the mirror.

“Here. Stand here, front facing camera over most of your face, but not your eyes. Yeah, like that,” he instructs, “okay now turn to the side a little bit.” He rolls Sicheng’s sleeve up so the muscle is out.

“You’re ready.”

Sicheng takes two before he unrolls the shirt. 

“That’s it? You don’t want to test your angles? Take your shirt off?”

If the two of them were alone in the room, Sicheng would twist his nipples for that comment. There are some kids he vaguely recognized from the swim team in the back corner of the locker room. They aren’t paying any attention to the two now, but Jaehyun squeals like a pig-- or maybe it’s more apt to say he squeaks like a mouse.

“That’s weird.”

Also, Yuta better appreciate the fact that his eyes will ever even have the chance to feast over these photos. Not that he’s taking them for him. 

“No, it’s not,” Jaehyun rolls his eyes. “It’s for Yuta, right? Just do it.”

“I don’t want him to think I did it for him.” Sicheng gnaws on his bottom lip like Renjun does. He didn’t think he’d ever be this nervous asking Jaehyun for anything. Maybe it was because he was asking for help, and he’d rather die before asking for help under normal circumstances. “Will you take it with me?”

Jaehyun rolls his eyes but shrugs his shirt off and Sicheng would regret asking if he didn’t know that super muscles weren’t Yuta’s type. He peels his own shirt off and lets Jaehyun help him take the pictures, even taking one solo. 

“There,” Jaehyun announces with a clap to Sicheng’s back. That’s surely code for ‘one of those pictures you just took is good enough and we’re done here’. He doesn’t even have time to step away before someone notices.

“What in the gay hell is this?” Doyoung all but yells, entering the locker room. 

Honestly, Sicheng doesn’t see why the golf team even has lockers at the gym, but whatever. How do they even get sweaty when all they do is walk around in their dumb plaid pants?

“Now, now, Doyoung,” Park Jinyoung consoles and chides, patting the younger’s shoulder.

He breezes past all of them into the locker room and Sicheng is quick to go back to his locker before anything can get worse. The swim team guys are probably already looking his way. Doyoung is relentless and even the presence of his idol might not be enough to stop him. 

Regret is the color red on his ears as he tugs a shirt over his torso for the trek back to the dorm. 

. . .

The suitemates are out to lunch at the university cafeteria on a Monday when Jaehyun announces Sicheng’s relationship agreement with Yuta. It seemed like he had barely gotten settled into the booth before his roommate ran his mouth. Man, he wishes the other could have waited until after he’d eaten his chicken and vegetables.

“Hey, ‘Cheng, do you think since you’re screwing our R.A. now, you could get him to stop checking our room for alcohol?” Junhoe asks, face indignantly poised. Somehow the clay colored walls compliment his skin and the russet in his eyes, but Sicheng barely notices.

Sicheng rolls his eyes at the man diagonally across the table from him, “no. That’s his job.”

Donghyuk hits Junhoe for him, “don’t listen to him. He’s just mad Bobby took his candle last safety inspection.”

Jaehyun shakes his head, “that’s where it went? Damn dude. I kinda liked the ocean breeze one, too.”

“I know. It was a good candle.”

“RIP candle,” Sicheng agrees dryly after swallowing his bite of food. 

“Oh look, here comes Sicheng’s noncommittal, exclusive, extra-special friend.”

Sicheng turns at Donghyuk’s words and true enough, there he is. Yuta, at a table with practically every Japanese student on campus, is cramped in a little seat but his eyes light up when he spots Sicheng. Yuta sends him a smile so bright Sicheng feels like he just looked into the sun and he waves with his fingers. Sicheng smiles back and sends him a small wave.

“Siiiiimp,” Jaehyun drags out when he sees Sicheng’s smile. He takes a nasty elbow to the ribs and drops a heavy fist onto Sicheng’s thigh. If Jaehyun’s sweater wasn’t so damn thick, the elbow surely would have rendered him too weak to respond. Sicheng rubs the spot on his thigh over his jeans. 

“Don’t beat each other up,” Donghyuk pleads. 

He knows what’s coming, but it’s too late. 

Junhoe is standing up and making his Jackie Chan noises, carefully swinging his limbs around, aware of other students in his immediate area. If he didn’t know his suitemate better, he’d be worried about someone’s plate of food being flipped onto their shirt. 

Sicheng drops his head to the table at his antics, not wanting to be seen with wannabe-Jackie-Chan Junhoe.

If battles in the lunchroom happened in real life, there was no doubt that Koo Junhoe would be the one to start them. Jaehyun would, most likely, be the only one not to complain given his weird penchant for violence.

He waits until Junhoe has finally stopped making such noises to look up. To his surprise he finds Lisa from the dance team with another young woman who must be her friend. He offers Lisa a nod and a friendly smile which she returns. 

“Junhoe, can I talk to you for a minute?” The friend asks. She’s aesthetically pleasing, and in that regard Sicheng finds her attractive. Lisa, too, but he’d already had that thought to himself upon meeting her. 

Junhoe nods and steps away with her, heading to a quieter area of the cafeteria.

Lisa slides into the spot that Junhoe previously occupied and strikes up a conversation with Donghyuk and Sicheng, leaving Jaehyun to stare at his phone and finish his food. 

After a moment of listening, Jaehyun softly nudges Sicheng and hands him his phone. 

Confused as to why he’s being handed a smartphone, Sicheng glances down at it to find Johnny and Jaehyun’s Instant Gram DMs. 

His eyes widen and he grabs the phone to read. 

“Holy shit,” Sicheng breathes and sits up a little straighter.

Lisa and Donghyuk cast him confused glances, but the news on the phone demands to be devoured. Jaehyun’s chino-clad leg starts to bounce up and down out of anxiety. 

“What’s up guys?” Yuta asks, shrugging his backpack off and squishing into the booth next to Jaehyun and Sicheng. 

“Johnny Suh just came out of the closet,” Sicheng announces, holding Jaehyun’s phone out to Yuta. 

“What?” Lisa squawks, eyes widening. “Oh my God. Who? Where? What? How?”

“It’s on his Instant Gram,” Jaehyun supplies warily. 

Lisa scrambles for her phone and Donghyuk just watches on, worry on his face. 

Yuta shrugs and Sicheng returns the phone to Jaehyun’s hand. 

“Told you,” he pokes at Jaehyun. 

“Oh no, Ten,” Lisa breathes out before turning to say a rushed goodbye and dashing out of the cafeteria. 

“What was that about?” Yuta is left wondering. No one has an answer for him, but then Junhoe and the other girl come back. 

The pretty girl looks confused, “where did Lisa go?”

“She ran off and said something about Ten.”

“Why?”

“Uh, Johnny Suh came out as pansexual or omnisexual or something, and then Lisa was out of here like a bolt of lightning.”

“Huh. That’s weird, must be something important, though. You know how the Thai student association is close.”

“Anyways, we have to head out,” Junhoe announces and reaches for his tray. 

Everyone nods, “see you later, dude.”

Sicheng takes note of the way Junhoe accepts the young woman’s tray too. Donghyuk shares a look with him, but Jaehyun and Yuta are busy rearranging their seats. Suddenly Yuta is next to him and Jaehyun is across the table next to Donghyuk. There isn’t much time left for lunch but that’s okay.

“Do you have to sit so close to me?” Sicheng fake complains, “you make me nervous.”

“Do I?” Yuta grins teasingly and scoots closer. 

“Yes,” he nods once. 

“Avert your eyes boys,” Yuta advises the two across the table. It’s not necessary because they’re already discussing something else to avoid the gross flirting in front of them. Yuta kisses Sicheng’s cheek and enjoys the way his ears flame red. 

“We’re in public,” he hisses. 

“Ah right, Ice Prince. You should come to my room later.”

“I have practice later.”

“After practice then.”

“You have rounds,” Sicheng frowns. 

“For the love of God,” Jaehyun cuts in. “He wants you to  _ go over  _ to his room later, Cheng.”

“Yeah, duh,” Donghyuk joins, spurred on by Jaehyun. 

The two of them have shit-eating grins on their faces as if they think he’s dense. He knows full well what Yuta is implying, but honestly, it’d be some much more convenient to just wait til tomorrow night when Yuta is not on duty and dance practice ends earlier.

“Earth to Sicheng? He’s still waiting to know if he’s going to get it i--”

“That’s it, I’m burning down the dorms,” Sicheng announces. “I’ve had enough of your shit.”

“Please don’t do that,” Yuta fake pleads. “I don’t want to write up the incident report.”

“Just for that, it’s happening at two in the morning so everyone has to wake up and evacuate.” Sicheng glares at them all as he stands up to take his tray to the conveyor belt. It’s time for him to go to class anyways. 

**Author's Note:**

> Tempted to develop some of these ideas further into a series/something longer than a one-shot. Thoughts?
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ninaaavan)


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